The Heartless Hybrid Queen

Chapter 18 - Aurora

Samael lifts me onto his lap and holds me tightly. "Danika will be fine, Aurora. After you shift, it shouldn't affect her like this again. Shifting will bring you both closer, sharing your strength equally, so when you use your magic, it will draw from both of you instead of just one." His words do help calm me down, but I'm still gripped with worry for my wolf.

Did she know what she was doing? Did she purposefully shield me from the pain and take it all herself? "Danika?" I call her softly. Still nothing, though I can hear her faint snores, which will have to do for now.

"I think this is enough for today," Samael says to Adelaide as he strokes my hair. "Come back tomorrow morning."

I hear Addie rise from her chair and turn to face her, "Thank-you for telling me all this, I know I still have a lot to learn." I pull myself from Samael's lap, to wrap her in a hug.

She takes my face in her hands and smiles at me. "You are so powerful Aurora; I know you will be a great witch, and a beloved queen." She places a motherly kiss on my forehead and my eyes once again fill with tears. I blink them back and hug her again before she leaves.

When it's just Samael and I left in the room, I make my way back to him and crawl onto his lap.

"How are you feeling, my love?" he whispers in my ear.

"Tired," I say with a yawn. "But so overwhelmed with information, I think my head is going to explode."

He chuckles, his hand rubbing circles into my back, "Try to relax. We have another big day tomorrow if you are up to it. But, if you would rather stay in this room until your shift, we can do that. I understand your worry and reluctance, I want to make this as easy as it can be for you."

Goddess, what did I ever do to deserve such a mate? "No, I don't want to hide anymore. I don't have to tell people who my parents are just yet, but no use hiding what I am anymore. The full moon should be soon, anyone who wants to kill me for my hybrid blood will have a difficult time trying."

"That's my girl," Samael whispers, his breath on my skin causing goosebumps to flare up.

"What is Seth taking care of?" I ask suddenly, remembering his parting words.

"I asked him to handle the majority of my responsibilities for the next week, so I can help you with your shift. The next full moon is only five days away, and I wanted to spend that time with you. If anything serious happens, I will need to step in, but other than the council meeting on Saturday, I am all yours." He places a lingering kiss on my head, and I close my eyes at the contact.

Being in his arms, feeling him hold me like this, drags every bit of stress and worry from my body, leaving me blissfully light and relaxed. I feel my heart rate slow, and my breathing evens out. He's whispering comforting words in my ear; telling me I'm beautiful, I'm strong, and that everything is going to be OK. The last words I hear before succumbing to sleep are, "Sweet dreams, my love."

***

I wake up to the sound of purring. In my attempt to sit up, I only entangle myself in the mountain of blankets. "Who needs this many blankets?" I mutter.

Samael chuckles at me, and I twist my head to look up at him from my cocoon. He helps me unravel myself and pulls me against his chest, hugging me tightly. "You were asleep for so long; I was beginning to worry," he says quietly in my ear.

"Really? What time is it?" I ask, looking past the windows in the door next to the bed. The sky is dark, but hints of light are beginning to appear on the horizon. It was late afternoon when I fell asleep by the fire.

"It's almost dawn. You were asleep for about thirteen hours." He stands from the bed, carrying me with him. I wrap my legs around his waist and place kisses on his bare chest. "Let's have a bath, then get some more food for you."